Box.



' H. A. SNELLINGS.

COLUMBIA PLNOGRAPII C0" WASHINGTON' D. C.

UNITED STATESA PATENT OFFICE.

HARITIE A. SNE-LLINGS, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

BOX.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Hanvin A. SNELLINGS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Norfolk, inthe county of Norfolk, State of V'rginia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Boxes; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to boxes in which milk, bread, groceries or thelike may be deposited.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwhich upon articles being deposited therein is automatically locked toprevent an unauthorized per- 4son in gaining access to the interior ofthe same.

A further object of the invention is to produce an article of thischaracter which 1s simple in construction, and one which may be placedin a convenient position, and secured upon a door or steps of abuilding.

In the drawings Figure l is a front elevation of the box. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectionalview, showing the box in its locked position. Fig. 4 is a similar view,showing the same in its unlocked position. Fig. 5 is a front elevation,showing the box in a position to receive articles.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the casing of thebox, said box having its front face provided with a rectangular opening2. The bottom 3 of the box extends slightly below the ends 4 and upon itrests a strip 5, said strip being secured to the ends 4. Suitablysecured between the inner faces of the ends 4 is a bar 6, and to thecentral portion of said bar is secured a staple 7.

Hinged to the back 8 of the box is a lid 9, said lid having a hasp 10secured near its outer edge so that the same may be engaged with thestaple 7 and a lock 11 applied thereto. Pivoted at both ends to the ends4 is a door 12, said door being adapted to normally close the opening 2.The swing of t-he door is limited by the strip 5, said strip being ofsufcient diameter to have its upper edge extend slightly beyond thelower edge of said door.

v Upon the inner face of the door 12 and ad- Speccation of LettersPatent.

Application filed May 19, 1911.

Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

serial No. 628,145.

jacent each end thereof are guides 13. Sliding in the guides 13 is a bar14. Secured to the lower end of the bar 14 is a platform 15, saidplatform having formed therewith a depending flange 16 which is adaptedto engage with a pair of spaced stops 17, said stops being suitablysecured to t-he bottom 3 of the box, when the platform is in the p0-sition shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

To the inner face of the bar 14 and near its upper edge are suitablysecured the lower ends of coil springs 18, said springs having theirupper ends suitably secured to the door 12. The coil springs 18 hold theplatform 15 raised, and permits the door 12 to be opened from theoutside, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

Upon placing an article or articles upon the plat-form 15 the door maybe then swung to its closed position, and the weight upon the platformwould cause the same to move downwardly and against the tension of thesprings 18 until the flange 16 rests upon the bottom 3 and directly infront of the ends of the stops 17. This will prevent the door 12 frombeing operated from the outside as long as there is an article orarticles upon the platform 15, but when an authorized person opens thelid 9 and removes the article or articles from said platform the samewill be moved upwardly by the springs 18 and the flange 16 will be thenin position to clear the stops 17, thus permitting the door 12 to beoperated whan a tradesman desires to deposit articles therein.

What is claimed, is

A box such as described comprising opposite end walls connected at theirrear edges by a rear wall and at the terminals of their front edges bybars, a top closurepivoted to the upper end of the rear wall andengaging the upper ends of the end walls and upper sides of the upperbar, locking means provided upon the upper bar and hinged top closure,an outwardly movable front closure pivoted at its lower ends betweentheinner sides of the end walls in spaced relation to the lower end thereofand engaging the lower bar whereby the said front closure is limited inits inward movement, guides secured to the inner facev of the frontclosure adjacent the opposite ends thereof, a plate slidable betweensaid guides, a shelf secured to the lower end of the plate and extendinginwardly therefrom, a ange secured to the CII lower face of the shelfand extending iush the front closure will be looked in its closed withthe inner ends thereof, stops located position.

within the box for engagement with the In testimony whereof7 I affix mySignaflange, coil springs secured to the plates and ture, in presence oftwo witnesses.

to the front Closure and normally retaining HARVIE A. SNELLINGS. theflange above the stops and permitting the same to be lowered forengagement with the stops when the shelf is weighted whereby Witnesses:

CYRUS P. FLICK, SHIRLEY T. SNELLINGS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

